When V.L. Jennings isn't traveling to other worlds through her imagination, she calls Dillon, South Carolina her home. She is the author of science fiction novels "The Alien Mind" (recipient of the Readers Favorite Five Star Review Award), and "Visionary From The Stars".

But what motivates Virginia to create, to illustrate, to prognosticate? Virginia is a speculator, the kind of person who always debates the "what if?" of where stories both true and fantastical are leading themselves to, which explains her love of post-apocalyptic fare such as "The Walking Dead." Through her writing, she enjoys trying to figure out what our human potential is, and where our innate desire for a better world could lead us.

Overall, Virginia is just about as real as a person can get. Yes, even authors love to sing along with their favorite local radio station while driving, and Virginia is no exception to this rule. She enjoys watching Doctor Who or Star Trek with her family over dinner, and also watching the latest sci-fi and action movies with her husband. On the weekends, you may even find Virginia and her family at the local comic book store, hunting down more comics to add to their collections.

V.L. Jennings spends her free time writing flash fiction on her blog and working towards her degree in Electronics Engineering. You can find out more about V.L. Jennings as well as join her newsletter at:www.virginialorijennings.com

Excerpt: Dan and Rivi's cube fell through the Aun sky and tumbled down onto one of Aun's main city roads. Dan pressed his head to the back of the seat, and reached out with his mind to hold Rivi still against her bench. He held his breath as they flipped over and over before coming to a sudden stop as, outside, groups of the city’s Aunantet citizens gathered around the cube and halted it without touching it. Dan got out of his chair and unbuckled the straps holding Rivi. He levitated her off the bench and through the cube wall. Paying no attention to the crowd, he lowered her to the ground and shrank the cube, sending it back into the sphere on her necklace.Dan sat down beside Rivi, trying to wake her up, concern building on his face. A few Aunantet approached and circled Dan and Rivi chattering anxiously towards Dan while they checked Rivi over.“I don’t know what you are saying!” Dan exclaimed. “Please, she needs help!”One of the Aunantet ran forward from the farthest street corner.“What happened?” the Aunantet asked Dan.Finally, someone he could understand.“It was the Aruk!” Dan explained, flustered. “They held us captive. I think they gave her a computer virus before we escaped.”The Aunantet's face faded from its normal purple to a light pink.“She's a comp amalgamator, then. That's not good. What is her name?”“Rivi … Rivinaig,” Dan replied, quavering, looking worriedly at Rivi and sensing this Aunantet was concerned.“Her guardian father is Ankh, then?”“Yes, she's told me a bit about him,” Dan replied.“Does anyone know where I can find Ankh?” the Aunantet asked the crowd of other concerned Aunantet that had started to gather in the street around them.Another Aunantet pushed his way through the crowd toward Dan and Rivi.“I'm heading to him now. I can take them.”Dan levitated Rivi once more and headed over to the Aunantet who spoke.“Here, let me take her,” the Aunantet said as Daniel approached. “You look like you've been through a lot today.”Dan looked at the Aunantet a bit warily.“It’s all right. Rivi knows me. You may have even seen me around. I was one of the technicians at the Human Complex. I worked in the communications section. My name's Orlon.”“My name's Daniel,” Dan said, as he lowered Rivi into Orlon's three arms. “I'm not one of the 150 children. This is my first time here on Aun. It’s my first time being out of Earth's solar system, as a matter of fact.”Orlon said nothing as he led Dan and carried Rivi down the road, away from the dwindling crowd.“I heard what you said about the Aruk. You and Rivinaig were captured by them?” Orlon finally asked as they rounded a corner.“Yes,” Dan replied quietly.“For how long?”“I don't know, what's today's date?” Dan asked.“Earth time?” Orlon asked.Daniel nodded, and Orlon closed his eyes and consulted his personal computer.“Saturday, February 15, earth time,” Orlon answered, looking at Dan.“We've been with the Aruk for four weeks then,” Dan said quietly. “It seemed like much, much longer than that.”

The Aunantet, a benevolent race of aliens, rescue the children and adopt them into their culture and raised them as if they belong. The children's new families teach them how to harness the full capacity of their minds, enabling them to defy the laws of physics and develop special mental abilities.

The past returns to haunt them as the Aruk plot revenge and regain control of their former captives. The fate of the entire galaxy depends on whether the children can maintain their freedom.

Visionary From The Stars (COMING SOON)Book Cover link: (Coming soon)(copy and paste link wherever/however you upload pictures)Middle Grade Science FictionRelease Date: Paperback release date to be set soon.About The Book:For millenia, humans thought they were the only life in the galaxy-- until the day an alien species claiming to have humanity's best interests in mind forces its way onto an unsuspecting exploration craft. In another part of space, the Star Traveler's crew sets out on a camping trip to the surface of the moon. There, they stumble upon an object covered in alien writing revealing the first piece of a galactic map that will lead them into an intergalactic controversy--all while the Platonian race strives to sabotage their every move.